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The message “Something went wrong and Microsoft Store failed to initialize. Try refreshing or come back later” is a generic startup failure—not proof of one particular cause. Start with a restart and wsreset.exe, then repair or reset the Store app. If those do not work, check its package registration, Windows files, network access, account, and any organization policy before considering a Windows repair.
First identify what is failing
“Failed to initialize” means the Store could not complete one or more startup tasks. It might be unable to load local app state, activate its package, reach Microsoft services, or validate the account or device environment. A damaged cache is one possibility, but the message alone does not diagnose it.
Also distinguish a launch failure from a download problem. If the Store window opens and shows its catalog but an app will not download, focus on the account, network, licensing, update services, or policy checks below. If the Store never gets past the error, follow the steps in order and test it after each one.
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This wording is not necessarily the same as error 0x80131500. If a numerical code appears elsewhere, write it down and use Microsoft’s separate guidance for 0x80131500 as well.
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Try these low-risk fixes first
- Restart Windows, install pending updates, and try the Store again.
- Run
wsreset.exeto clear the Store cache. - Use the Store app’s Repair option; if needed, follow with Reset.
If one step restores normal startup, stop there. More disruptive steps are not necessary.
1. Restart and install pending Windows updates
- Open Settings > Windows Update.
- Select Check for updates and install available updates.
- Restart the PC, even if Windows does not explicitly request it, then open Microsoft Store.
A restart can complete pending update work that affects Store operations. If the problem started after an update, that timing is worth noting, but it does not by itself prove the update caused the failure. Individual reports about a Windows 11 release are not evidence of a version-wide defect.
2. Reset the Store cache with wsreset.exe
- Press Windows key + R.
- Type
wsreset.exeand select OK. - Wait for the blank Command Prompt window to close. The Store should open automatically; if it does not, launch it from Start.
Microsoft documents wsreset.exe as its Store-cache reset method. The blank window may remain visible for about ten seconds. This clears cache data; it does not repair Windows system files, correct a disabled policy, fix an account problem, or guarantee that the Store package is registered correctly. See Microsoft’s Store troubleshooting steps.
3. Repair, then reset the Microsoft Store app
- Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
- Search for Microsoft Store, select its three-dot menu, then choose Advanced options.
- Select Repair and test the Store.
- If it still fails, return to the same page and select Reset, then test again.
Repair attempts to fix the app without clearing its stored data. Reset reinitializes the app and clears its local data and settings; you may need to sign in again. Terminate, if shown, only stops the running process and is not a substitute for Repair or Reset. Labels or placement can vary slightly by Windows 11 build.
If Microsoft Store is not listed in Installed apps, do not download a Store installer from a third-party site. Skip to the package checks below. Recent Microsoft Q&A guidance for this message also recommends trying Repair before Reset.
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4. Run the Store Apps troubleshooter if Windows offers it
Open Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters. If Windows Store Apps appears, select Run and follow the prompts. Availability varies by Windows build and Microsoft’s support changes. If it is absent, do not download a purported troubleshooter from an unofficial site.
5. Check the Microsoft Store Install Service
- Press Windows key + R, enter
services.msc, and select OK. - Find Microsoft Store Install Service.
- If it is running, right-click it and choose Restart.
- If it is disabled, open Properties. If you have permission, set Startup type to Automatic, select Start, then apply the change.
- Restart Windows and test the Store.
On a work- or school-managed PC, service settings may be controlled by policy. Do not try to bypass those controls; contact the administrator. Microsoft Q&A discussions, including reports about initialization failures, also point to this service as a check: example guidance.
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Try this if the Store is missing from Installed apps, or Repair and Reset did not help. Close the Store. Open PowerShell normally—not as administrator—and run:
Get-AppxPackage -Name Microsoft.WindowsStore |
ForEach-Object {
Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)AppXManifest.xml"
}Restart Windows and test the Store. This command re-registers an existing package; it does not necessarily download a fresh copy. Run it in the affected user’s normal PowerShell session because an elevated session can target the administrator’s account instead. Microsoft explains the registration context in its inbox Store apps troubleshooting guidance.
If the command returns nothing
The package may not be registered for your account. To check whether it exists for another user, open PowerShell as administrator and run:
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Get-AppxPackage *Microsoft.WindowsStore* -AllUsersIf package information is returned, Microsoft documents this registration command for the current user:
Add-AppxPackage -RegisterByFamilyName -MainPackage Microsoft.WindowsStore_8wekyb3d8bbweDo not guess package names or run scripts that remove the Store. Microsoft’s instructions cover package checks and registration in its Store apps troubleshooting guidance. Completely uninstalling Microsoft Store is unsupported. If a registration command fails, preserve its exact error or HRESULT rather than trying unofficial Store downloaders.
7. Repair Windows system files with DISM and SFC
If the Store still cannot start, open Windows Terminal or Command Prompt as administrator. Run these commands in order, waiting for each to finish:
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealthsfc /scannowRestart Windows and test the Store. DISM repairs the Windows component store, which can supply system files; SFC then checks and repairs protected system files using that source. These commands are also included in Microsoft Q&A guidance for this exact message.
If DISM says source files could not be found, note the exact message or HRESULT and check Windows Update connectivity. Do not assume SFC will necessarily resolve that failure. If system repair cannot complete, move to an official Windows repair-install path rather than obtaining replacement AppX files from an unofficial source.
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8. Check account and region if the failure follows one user
If Microsoft Store works in another Windows account on the same PC, the problem may be specific to the affected profile. Sign out of Store and back in with the intended Microsoft account, then check Settings > Accounts for account errors. A new Windows user can be useful as a diagnostic comparison, but it is not automatically a permanent fix.
Confirm that the Windows country or region reflects where you actually live. Do not change it casually: region can affect Store availability and account or content behavior. Microsoft notes that Store availability and what a user can see may depend on the account, country or region, family settings, device authorization, and compatibility. See Microsoft’s guidance on apps in Store and its note that Store may be unavailable to some local-account users or disabled by an organization: Can’t find Microsoft Store?
9. Check the network, VPN, proxy, firewall, and policy
Test this branch when the Store opens but cannot load content, when it works on one network but not another, or when the error began after a VPN, proxy, security-software, or system-customization change.
- Confirm ordinary websites load, then try a different network, such as a phone hotspot.
- Temporarily disconnect from a VPN and retry. Check whether a proxy is configured.
- If the Store works on a hotspot but not on your usual network, investigate that network’s proxy, firewall, DNS, VPN, or endpoint filtering.
- On a work or school device, ask the administrator whether policy or network controls block the Store.
Store operations may depend on accessible Windows Update and other Microsoft endpoints. Firewall, proxy, endpoint restrictions, or the RemoveWindowsStore policy can prevent Store functionality; see Microsoft’s endpoint and policy troubleshooting guidance. Do not permanently disable a firewall or security product as a fix. A managed-device user should involve the administrator rather than changing policy or services.
10. Use WinGet as a temporary installation route
If the Store interface is broken but you need a supported app, Windows Package Manager may offer an alternative. In PowerShell or Terminal, search first:
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winget search "<app name>"If the intended package appears, install it using its displayed name or package identifier, for example:
winget install "<app name>"Availability depends on the package and source. WinGet may help install an app, but it does not repair the Store interface, account state, or Store-only purchases. Microsoft describes this option in its Store troubleshooting guidance.
What to do if nothing works
Before escalating, record any numerical Store error, the exact PowerShell error or HRESULT, and DISM/SFC results. Check whether the failure affects every Windows user on the PC or only one profile. On a managed device, contact the organization’s administrator.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsIf package registration or Windows servicing appears damaged, use Microsoft Support or an official Windows repair-install route before considering a full reset. Back up personal files first and make sure you can access BitLocker recovery information if applicable. A reset is a last resort, not a standard Store fix. Do not use third-party “Store reinstall” utilities or scripts that remove system AppX packages.
Quick Recap
At a glance: choose the next step
| What you see | Useful next step |
|---|---|
Store opens after wsreset.exe |
Stop; cache or local state was a likely factor. |
| Store appears in Installed apps | Try Repair, then Reset. |
| Store is missing from Installed apps but appears in Start | Check package registration. |
| Store is absent from Start search | Check account, organization policy, and package existence. |
| Store works for another Windows account | Investigate the affected profile and account. |
| Store works on a hotspot but not the usual network | Check proxy, firewall, DNS, VPN, or endpoint filtering. |
| Store opens but cannot download | Focus on account, update, endpoint, licensing, or policy issues. |
| DISM cannot find source files | Record the error; check update connectivity and consider official repair installation. |
| Work or school PC | Ask the administrator before changing services or policy. |
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